tem 8
1. Cities
❑ Cities are densely populated areas and centres of
economic and social activities.
1.1 The definition of a city
➢ Cities are defined by the following:
– Numbers of inhabitants. In Spain, a settlement with more
than 10.000 inhabitants is considered a city.
– Economic activity. The majority of the inhabitants in cities
work in the secondary or tertiary sector.
– Lifestyle. Cities are places where ideas and products are
exchanged.
1.2 Functions of cities
✓Cities have a number of functions:
▪ Economic. This is important in cities with a lot of
trade, such as Cádiz.
▪ Political/administrative. Capitals, such as Madrid,
are home to many government institutions.
▪ Cultural. This includes cities with universities
(Oxford) and religious sites (Santiago de
Compostela).
1.3 The urban structure
✓Most European cities can be divided into three
areas:
– Old town. This is the historic centre where
buildings such as museums, cathedrals are located.
– Expansion zone. With industrialisation in
the 19th century, new areas of cities were
designed.
– Outskirts. This area surrounding the city is
made up of residential areas (suburbs).
PLANO IRREGULAR DE TOLEDO
PLANO RADIOCONCÉNTRICO DE VITORIA
PLANO EN CUADRÍCULA DE BARCELONA
2. Urbanisation
2.1 The process of urbanisation.
❑Urbanisation is a process that describes the
various stages of cities.
❑Urbanism is the study of urban areas, buildings
and urban planning. It also includes the study of
the social, economic and environmental activities
that develop in cities.
2.2 Stages of urbanisation
✓Cities have developed in three main stages:
▪ Pre-industrial cities. Until the 19th century, most cities
were small, isolated settlements in the middle of
much larger territories.
▪ Industrial cities. Cities were transformed by the
appearance of factories and city walls disappeared.
▪ Post-industrial cities. At the end of the 20th century,
most businesses moved to the outskirts of the city,
where land is cheaper.
✓Today, old factories are being replaced by shopping
and leisure centres.
3. Urban landscapes
3.1 Cities in MEDCs
– They consist of a historic centre or central
business district.
– Their populations are stagnant or declining.
– They have high levels of technological
development, intensive infrastructure and
many types of transport.
– Citizen’s rights are protected and healthcare is
available.
– There are problems of social inequality.
3.2 Cities in LEDCs
• Their urban structures often consist of a colonial
centre, large expansion zones and other badly-
constructed buildings.
• They are densely populated. The majority of the
world ́s most populated cities are in LEDCs.
• There is great social inequality.
• Most people have very limited access to
healthcare and other essential services.
4. GLOBALISATION AND URBAN SPACES
4.1 Transformation of urban spaces
❖Global cities
Global cities, such as New York, London and Tokyo, are centres of
global economic activity with the following characteristics:
– Stock markets, financial markets and the headquarters of bid
banks are located there.
– They are innovative production centres with the most
advanced service sectors in the world.
– They control most of the international exchange of goods and
information (capital, culture and transport).
• Other urban spaces in the global economy.
Other important financial and business service centres include
Hong Kong, Sydney, Madrid, San Francisco and Manila.
4.2 Transformation of the big city
▪ Big cities have been forced to make serious socio-
economic changes in order to fulfil their global
functions.
▪ Transport infrastructure has been improved
(airports, motorways, etc). Investments have also
been made in telecommunications networks
(Internet), modern office buildings, and
conference centres.
4.3 Urban networks
• Cities form urban networks, connected by
international travellers, the transport of goods,
and computer networks.
• Urban networks can be regional, national or
global, depending on their extension.
5. The city as a human ecosystem
▪ The functioning of a city is sometimes compared
to a living organism.
➢In this way, the city is seen as an ecosystem in
which resources (food, water, energy, etc…) enter
cities while other elements (waste, goods, people,
etc…) leave.
➢The streets are paved, and parks and other green
areas are designed.
6. Problems of big cities
6.1 Social problems: inequality
➢Social inequality describes the sharp contrast
between rich and poor and between the
privileged and the marginalised.
➢In big cities you can find many office buildings,
hotels and the homes of rich people. These
places need the work of cleaners and
gardeners.
6.2 Environmental problems
▪ The main environmental problems in a city are:
– Air pollution. Every day people travel from places
outside the city to their jobs in the city. These
peoples are called commuters.
– Noise pollution. Cities suffer from noise from
vehicles, industry, and anti-social behaviour.
– Waste. Cities, especially in more developed
countries, consume a lot and produce huge
amounts of solid waste.
6.2 Environmental problems
▪ The main environmental problems in a city are:
– The use of large amounts of non-renewable
energy in air conditioning and for public and
private vehicles.
– The lack of green spaces and forests near the city
can alter temperatures and change the city ́s
climate.
– The lack or contamination of water. Cities need
drinking water.
7. Urbanisation in Spain and Europe
7.1 Urban areas in Spain
Urban areas in Spain are made up of:
• Cities, which are classified according to population and
activity.
• Centres of urban development, which are areas
containing several cities with interrelated activities and
transport networks.
7. Urbanisation in Spain and Europe
7.1 The classification of Spanish cities
Spanish cities are classified as following:
• National cities offer a wide range of services and are
important nationally and internationally. Madrid and
Barcelona are national cities.
• Regional cities, like Valencia and Seville, have good transport
networks and influence the economics and politics of their
region.
• Sub-regional cities have specialised services, like universities
and big hospitals (Murcia and Bilbao).
• Small cities are important administrative centres.
• District capitals have the basic infrastructure necessary to
support the local community.
7. Urbanisation in Spain and Europe
7.3 Urban development in Spain
In Spain, urban development has centred on areas of
economic activity with good transport networks.
The main urban axes are as follows:
• The Mediterranean axis.
• The Cantabrian axis.
• The Ebro Valley axis.
• The Atlantic axis and
• The Andalusian axis.
7. Urbanisation in Spain and Europe
7.4 European cities
• Europe is fundamentally an urban society. Currently more
than 74% of the European population lives in cities.
• The most important cities in Europe according to
population density are: London, Paris, Madrid, Berlin and
Rome.
• The largest concentration of cities are located in Great
Britain, central and northern Europe, and along the
Mediterranean coast from Valencia to northern Italy.